New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1887-09-23
An INFAMOUS RECORD.
THE CONVICT SYSTEM OF GEORGIA.
GOVERNOR GoRDoNs observation-disclosures CRUEL
TIES IN PRISON CAMPS.

GOVERNOR GoRDONs observation-disclosures CRUEL
TIES IN PRISON CAMPS.
To tho Editor Of The TrtuJne.
SIR: The facts Of the convict system that are now
being developed Of such character to awaken
the people Of Georgia to a scheme which has kept
lessee of Georgia convicts in the United States SEN
ate ever since the winter of 1S74.'75. Senator Cor
don became a member at that time of the lease sys-
and is member to day, although he Is the pres
ent Executive of State. Senator Brown sue
ceedcd him In the Senate, By appointment of Governor
Colqutt, who was known to thwart the lesSces
I'm single demand for more liberty In dealing with
convicts nor to protect these hapess victims of an
unjust law from single injustice. In fact the State
has been powerless to effect change I'm this Guber
material policy until investigation has revealed such
horrible state Of things I'm the prison camps as to
cause an ovcrhauling and facts that will prove
credtable to humanity and civilization If it is not
suuelched by lessee money and influence before re-
lief is obtained.
Governor Gordon Is painfully aware that his posi-
ton in regard to tho convict system is intensified by
bis individual alliance with tho lease The fact that
no is tho only authority who regulate the conduct
of the camps also makes him a marked If he fails
to correct open, glarng and atrocious crucles. 1t
Is understood that tho essees propose make lively
for him II he interrupts ther monopoly of the States
revenues from this source. Tho people of the state
with the full knowledge of what the essees have done
and doing. will make 1t warm for him IL he
dares to shield his convicts and exposes the other
lessees His Is not enviabe position In this mat
ter but the people will forgive and forget II ho rises
above the level of greed and Injustice and brings the
difficulty to proper settlement. He has tho sym
pathy Of the public at this time, because Of Ibis
happy dilemma How long no will enjoy such Kind
feeling will DO measured entirely by his executive
action In the premises
A full report OF evidence lately obtained by PEN
itontiary committee dscloscs horrors that would
put to blush Black Hole OF Calcutta. What CIVIL
lied would tolerate a hospital for these creatures
under q torr1d sun, thrown up on the glazing sandy
plains Of Southern Georgia without window, the
roof made Of sheet iron, and opening for air save
tho door, Let me copy the State physicians words
at stands In old Ged--I suppose fifteen feet
sqlare-ten or twelve foot tall, and covered with
sheet iron There Is not window In the building
for ventilation six or openings near the roof
cut tho planks the josts six or seven feet
above tho hunks. There three very sick convictS
In hospital. wounded convict died few days
later I found several sick convicts not on the sick
list, consequently not In hospital The feature Of not
reporting tho sick is prominent but unwananted
omission ] am confident not half the sick
rolled. Inspected another camp two three miles
north OF Rockmart, Polk County. Mr. william u.
Grant worked forty four convicts on tho East Ten
nesses and Georgia Railroad. This camp found In
terrible condition. Tho hospital shanty much In
tina order Of hospital building In Atlanta Tho night
tubs. tho day OF visit had been empted In five or
six fee. Of tho walls OF The prison. They have only
two night tubs with equivalent 10 no covers: and
tho convicts chained Ia tho prison. found peas
for the convcts dev0ured by weevls Three out
OF four wero weevi The cooking vessels for the
entire camp-two small and ono pot They
cook the dinner the night before and pack In buckets
II sits In tho sand during the hot days OF summer
victs Tho captain In charge OF the camp deties
whether convots arc sick or not II they SO decide
they give such medicine as they thought best just
how LONG they treated convict / could not learn
impressed with the idea that "a long a. the SICK
walk two three hundred yards they are kept at
work under guard until all return at night Inc
next camp was Dallas. The hospital or shanty
certainly would not answer the purpose There was
not window alr-hOe for ventilation except tho
door. Tho best thing about It. have NJ idea the
sick treated In IT, found convict lh pfl.1pn
bowels, found tho yardmastcr was treating the
case. Ho said he didn't know whether IL wa dlar
when ba was in doubt he gave both mixtures. Tho
cooking department about the same
This Will answer that line.
Convicts wero 50 badly beaten at camp near
Griffith that week afterward tho hesh wa. raw ana
fostering inch deep They were uei nsksa over
near Augusta they were 50 starved "a 20 cause an
epidemic OF Yet this occurred win mo ~holo
land groanins with green crops OF every character
that Tero not only cheap but Ia profision The XII,
inc Of negro ocnvics t. frequent occurrence, and
tha difference
George r. jackson. a banker, who dcfanted III Augusta
for quarter Of a mliioI OF dollars and was scitehseu
Tor SIX wears He only remained In prison Tor nVc
or ak months. when Governor Gordon paidoned him.
lie did nothing but read aud nsh, ana "hen popuaao
clamor required him TO wear stripes bis clothes were
cut and flied ~ please him. His sons pad his DOaru'
sos per month, but this being found cut u was re-
turned and charges made and collected on items hae
cod be arranged 10 tho lessee These questions
were asked, How Jackson trcatGdl What s .
of labor did he perform 9" Answer, lilo was not put
70 any at all "Whorc did he sieepi7 "ln tho
room slept In" WILLIAMS. the witness was ss th no
whipping boss) "Don't you know Jackson was III
pretty good health and ate good meals :" ie ,d a,S
enough TO keep him up Didn't he go shshns goa
deal p Answer, ayes; sir" Hoy far from No
nvaTds ~ Answer "No cir" no chain ever put
on him ~ @No. SIR"
Yet negro put In for life for stealing
bpsbcl and half OF corn, and has served eighteen
o." ~ ~ al hard scnence The principal keeper so
iintormed your correspondent negro GIRL served
e,,e wears for stealing 90 cents from negro child,
the onIy witness against hor. negro woman was
accrSed nv an unfaithfu husband of burning her own
$50 and made TO serve years This II authentic
When the state OF Georgia allows such things t. pre-
WIN .,a deserves the anathemas Of the whole Union
Albania, Co., Sept IL 1856